Need
by Kelsey
Summary: Pure B/R fluff. Maybe if there'd been more of this, the events ending in Riley's departure, never would have taken place. (I wish!)


****

Need

by

[Princess McPhee][1]

Disclaimer: I don't own 'em. Never will. Though things are a little mucked up right now, I'm not sure who owns them. But it's not me!

Author's Note: Done on a whim, not meant to have a plot. Pure fluff. Probably not my best stuff!

Summary: Straight B/R fluff. Maybe if there'd been more of this in their relationship, the events that concluded in Riley's departure never would have taken place.

Rating: PG

> A quick pounding on his door sent Riley Finn dashing to it. He'd been through too much, seen too much to take less than full attention to anything half-way frantic. And this sounded bad. Somebody was nervous.
> 
> He flung it open to find Buffy on the other side. She slipped past him and quickly inside just in time for a vamp to slam into the invisible barrier guarding the door, and fall flat on its butt. 
> 
> Riley slammed the door shut, and turned to his girlfriend. It was just one vamp, something she'd normally take with ease, so he assumed that something was wrong. And, in one quick visual search, he decided he was right.
> 
> Several spots of blood marred her shirt, low on her right side. Riley kneeled down and pulled her shirt away from the wound. She hissed with pain as the already drying blood pulled at the deep cut, and Riley grimaced in sympathetic pain.
> 
> He stood, and put out a hand. "C'mon, let's go get you cleaned up, and then you can explain how this happened."
> 
> Buffy followed without question. They headed to his bathroom, and he motioned for her to sit on the counter. She was about to hoist herself onto the counter, but Riley stopped her, moving in and picking her up, and then depositing her before she could do or say anything. She smiled at him.
> 
> When Riley had washed it gently off and could see the wound clearly, he looked up at Buffy. "You should go to a hospital, get this checked out," He told her. "It looks like it needs stitches."
> 
> Buffy protested half-heartedly. "It'll be alright. Besides, there's a vamp outside."
> 
> "It won't be alright, not without proper medical treatment, and I'm willing to bet he got bored and went somewhere else by now."
> 
> With a few further complaints on Buffy's part, Riley managed to clean and dress the wound, then pick her up and carry her from his apartment to the car. Buffy complained the whole time.
> 
> "This is ridiculous, Riley! I walked all the way to your house, what makes you think I need carrying now?"
> 
> "Because that cut is in just the right place to get pulled, and you don't want to tear it open any wider than it is," Riley reasoned with her.
> 
> Buffy grimaced a little as he placed her in the seat, pulling the seatbelt gingerly on and keeping a hand between the wound and the belt. "I guess I can see your point," She conceded grudgingly. Riley gave her a little half-smile.
> 
> "Good."
> 
> The ride to the hospital consisted of her telling Riley what had transpired to create this injury. It turned out it was pretty simple; she'd been battling some vamps, and been pushed against a sharp piece of metal. 
> 
> When they drove up to the hospital, the nurse confirmed Riley's diagnosis that the cut should be stitched, and said she was going to send a doctor in in a few minutes. Riley waited by Buffy's side, sensing her anxiety, but not quite sure where it originated from.
> 
> When the doctor appeared, needles in hand, Buffy turned abruptly away from the cart, and hid her face in Riley's shoulder. 
> 
> Riley's body bounced a little with his chuckles as he abruptly figured out his girlfriend's fear, and Buffy slapped him softly. "Don't!" She insisted "It isn't funny!"
> 
> Riley learned down to whisper in her ear. "But it is," He told her. "You're the Slayer, and you fight evil every night, and you're afraid of some little tiny needles?"
> 
> She buried her head deeper in neck, and Riley laughed again, a little. Then, when the doctor turned towards them, and actually addressed them, Riley forced her to sit up, and at least speak to him.
> 
> "Ms. Summers?" The doctor asked.
> 
> Buffy pulled a little away from her boyfriend, and nodded. "Yeah."
> 
> Riley held out his hand when the doctor's gaze fell on him, and the doctor shook it. "I'm doctor Nelson," He introduced himself.
> 
> "Riley Finn." The doctor returned his attention to Buffy.
> 
> "Can I see the cut, please?" The doctor asked, moving towards Buffy, and pulling the side of her shirt out of the way.
> 
> Buffy twisted herself away from the doctor so that he could see her side better, but Riley could feel the slight tremors shaking her body. He smiled again. She was so cute when she was nervous, even though he hated the fact that she was hurt.
> 
> The nurse had removed the temporary dressing that Riley had applied, and put a piece of gauze over the cut with one piece of surgical tape, to make it easier for the doctor to remove. He peeled it away now, and probed the cut experimentally.
> 
> Buffy hissed through her teeth, and squeezed Riley's hand. He smiled at her, and returned his attention to the doctor.
> 
> "Ms. Summers, I'm going to put this local anesthetic in that cut, so that I can stitch it up in a few moments. It might sting a little."
> 
> Buffy returned to her previous position of her head buried in Riley's shoulder. The doctor gave her a funny look, and Riley smiled. "She's afraid of needles," He explained, and Buffy groaned in mortification.
> 
> Doctor Nelson smiled, and looked more at ease. "Well, that's nothing to be ashamed of. Many people are." He ran a cleansing wipe over the cut, and Buffy's body tensed in Riley's arms. 
> 
> When the doctor pulled the cut open, and injected the anesthetic, Buffy pulled all her muscles tight, and Riley could feel her go rigid in his arms. It only took a moment, though, and then the doctor was done, and Buffy relaxed a little, content to rest her head on her boyfriend's chest now.
> 
> The doctor left them, telling them that he'd be back in five minutes when the anesthetic would have taken effect. Riley stroked Buffy's hair, and they just talked, about everything from war heroes to their best friends, for their time waiting. It was oddly comfortable, despite the location, and Buffy's increasing complaints that it felt like there was some kind of demon poison stuck her in the side.
> 
> Doctor Nelson returned moments later, and instructed Buffy to lie on her side. Riley repositioned himself so that she could both hold his hand and use his shoulder as a hide-out for her head, and things got started.
> 
> Buffy was more tense than Riley thought he'd ever seen her, but she managed well enough. When it was over, she had a brand new gauze bandage on her side, secured strongly with medical tape, and a bag full of those supplies, and instructions. She'd have to come back in a week to get the stitches out.
> 
> She insisted on walking, though Riley offered to carry her, and they made their way slowly out to the car. Once she was settled in, Riley asked her where she wanted to go.
> 
> "Not home," She groaned. "I don't want to deal with Dawn, and Mom asking a million questions, and..." She trailed off as soon as she saw Riley got the idea.
> 
> "You can stay at my place," Riley offered. "Or I can take you by Willow's."
> 
> Buffy looked up at him. "I'd like to stay with you," She responded. Riley leaned over, and kissed her temple, then drove them back to his apartment.
> 
> Once upstairs, Riley helped Buffy strip her clothes without pulling on the wound too much, reminding himself that this was only meant to be helpful, not sexual. Together, they managed to get her out of her wet, dirty and bloody clothes, and into one of Riley's oversized t-shirts.
> 
> Riley pulled down the covers, and tucked her in, watching her snuggle down on her left side, studiously avoiding anything touching her right side more than it had to. She was already almost comatose, and fell asleep as Riley was watching.
> 
> Retreating from the room, Riley closed the door so as not to wake her up, and punched in one of the best known numbers in his head. "Hello?" Came Joyce Summers' voice. 
> 
> "Mrs. Summers, this is Riley."
> 
> "Is Buffy there?" Mrs. Summers asked next, some concern in her voice.   
"She's here. She had some trouble on her patrol, she's fine, but she just crashed. I wanted to let you know where she was."
> 
> Mrs. Summers seemed relieved. "Thank you, Riley." She hung up the phone, and Riley placed his telephone softly back in its cradle.
> 
> Stripping himself in the bathroom, Riley readied himself for bed. When he was finished brushing his teeth and such, he headed for his bedroom.
> 
> Pushing the door open caused the light to flood momentarily into the room, lighting up Buffy's small figure in his bed, and he smiled at the sight. He'd loved this night, he admitted to himself. He hated seeing Buffy hurt, of course, but he'd enjoyed her needing him, clinging to him as she had, immensely.
> 
> Crawling under the covers, Riley turned out the light and waited for his vision to adjust. Then, he propped himself up on one elbow, and just watched Buffy sleep for long moments.
> 
> Brushing a hand over her forehead, he whispered those famous three little words that he'd never meant more in his life. "I love you, Buffy Summers."
> 
> She rolled over, and opened her eyes a little. Riley was instantly ready to be apologetic, but then realized that she was barely awake. Just enough to look at him for a second, and mumble, "Love you," Before collapsing back into unconsciousness.
> 
> Riley went to sleep that night with his girlfriend in his arms, and a huge smile on his face.

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   [1]: mailto:teneljade@netzero.net
   [2]: http://www.geocities.com/princess_mcphee/buffy.html
   [3]: http://www.geocities.com/princess_mcphee/b_afanfic.html



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